Remote control apparatus



Patented Sept. 15, 1931 UETED STATES 'PTENT EFFIQE JAMES J. VAHH-OEN, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB TO THE UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL EGQIVZPANY, OF S WISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, .A CORPORATZON OF EENN'SYLVANIA REMOTE CONTROL APPARATUS indication means, also located at a distant.

point, over the same pair of conductors.

I will describe two forms of apparatus embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a diagrammetic View showing one form of apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2

is a similar View showing a modified form of the apparatus of Fig. 1 and also embodying invention.

Siniliar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the views.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the reference character A indicates a section of railway track with which a spur or siding B is connected by a switch C. The switch is moved between. normal and reverse positions by any suitable manually operated mechanism. not shown in the drawings. A lock bar K is rigidly secured to the switch C for engagement by a dog J by means of which the switch may be locked in its normal position. This dog J is actuated by a manually operated lever D which is fixed to a shaft, indicated by the broken line 1, and which may be roc'kedbetween normal and reverse positions, indicated by the reference-characters n and 9". respectively. The shaft 1 carries a contact arm 2 for engagement with a contact 3.. and its movement is controlled by a locking device indicated as a whole by the reference character L. This device comprises a locking segment a which is fixed to the it shaft 1 and which is formed with a notch magnet E. so that when the magnet is enersized the latch will .be lifted out of locking engagement with the segment 4, to permit Application filed March 18, 1930. Serial No. 436,744.

the shaft 1 to be operated to disengage the dog J from the lock bar K.

The magnet E is energizable by current which can be supplied from a battery 9, through a wire 10, contact 11 of a suitable circuit controller, such as a polar relay F, wire 12, winding of magnet E, wire 13, contact 14, and wire 15 back to battery *9. The polar relay F is of the type that upon becoming deenergized retains its contact 11 in the position to which it was last moved. The contact ll is of a well known type which is operated by the door of a box containing the lever D, and is maintained open when the door is closed but closes automatically when a trainman opens the door to obtain access to the lock lever D.

Under normal conditions, that is to say, when the switch is locked in its normal position and the door of the switch lock lever box is closed, the polar re'l-ay F is energized by current of a certain polarity which maintains the contact 11 thereof open. The current which energizes the polar relay F is obtained from a suitable source, such as a battery 16, which is located at a distant point, such as a train despatchers tower, and is controlled at such point by a manually operable lever G which is fixed to a shaft, indicated by the broken line 17 and which is movable between a normal position n and a reverse position '1". This shaft carries a contact arm 18 for movement between normal and reverse contacts 19 and 20,respectively, and a contact arm 21' for movement between normal and reverse contacts 22 and 23, respectively.

lVith the lever G in the position at as shown in full linesin Fig. 1, the polar relay F is energized by current of agiven polarity which traverses'a circuit from battery 16, through wires '24, '25 and 26, normal contact 19-18 of lever G, line wire 27, contact 8 of magnet E, wire 28, winding of polar relay F, wire 29, contact 32 of leverD, line wire 30, winding of an indication relay H located in the despatchers tower, wire 31, contact 21- 22 of lever G, and wires 32, 33 and 34 back to battery 16. This circuit not only energizes the polar relay F so as to maintain its contact 11 open, but also energizes the indica tion relay H so as to maintain a contact 35 operated thereby closed. When the contact 35 is closed, an indication lamp in the tower is illuminated by current which traverses a circuit passing from the battery 16, through wires 24 and 36, contact 35, wire 37, filament of lamp 0, and wires 38 and 34 back to battery 16. The lighting of this lamp indicates to the towerman not only thatlever D is in position to lock the switch in its normal position but also that the lever D is itself locked against movement.

If the towerman should desire to unlock the switch lock lever D so as to permit a trainman to reverse the switch, he will move the lever G to the reverse position 1" shown by broken lines in Fig. 1. This opens the contacts 18-19 and 2122, and closes the contacts 18-20 and 2123. The polar relay F is then energized in the reverse direction by current which traverses a circuit passing from battery 16, through wires 24, 25 and 39. reverse contact 2321, wire 31, winding of indication relay H, line wire 30, contact 23 of lever D, wire 29, winding of polar relay F, wire 28, contact 8 of magnet E, line wire 27, contact 18-20, and wires 40, 33 and 34 back to battery 16. This closes the polar contact 11, and so partially conditions the circuit for magnet E for a subsequent operation.

Vhen a trainman opens the door of the lock lever box, the contact 14 is permitted to close, thereby completing the circuit previously traced through the magnet E. This not only opens the contact 8, thereby opening the circuit through the polar relay F and indication relay H, but also lifts the latch 6 out of locking engagement with the segment 4. The lever D is thus released and may he swung to the reverse position 7', shown by the broken lines in Fig. 1, in order to unlock the switch C. The deenergization of the relay H opens its contact 35, thereby extinguishing the lamp 6 in the tower and indicating to the towerman that the lock magnet E is in condition to permit the lock lever D to be reversed. When the lever D at the switch is swung to its reverse position, the

7 contact arm 2 is moved out of engagement with its contact 3, thereby forming an additional opening in the circuit through the winding of relay H.

I will now assume that the trainman, through negligence, closes the door of the lock lever box without returning the lever D to its normal position. This will open the contact 14 and deenergize the lock magnet E which will drop the latch 6 and its contact 8. The circuit through the indication relay H will not however be reestablished under formed that the locking mechanism has not been returned to normal. If, however, the trainman first returns the lever D to its normal position, thereby closing the contact 23. and then closes the door, thereby opening the contact 14, the circuit through the lamp 6 will be reestablished.

If a trainman should open the door of th lock lever box and thereby close the contact 14, he will not be able to operate the lever D to unlock the switch unless the towerman reverses the polarity of the current energizing the polar relay F so as to close the polar contact 11.

It may be desired in certain cases to energfze the lock magnet E by current from the battery 16 located in the tower instead of by the local battery 9 at the switch. This is accomplished in the system shown in Fig. 2 by connecting the wires 10 and to the line wires 27 and 30, respectively. In such an arrangement, however, it is necessary to at times shunt the indication relay H in order to eliminate the resistance of its winding from the circuit of the lock magnet E when it is desired to energize this magnet as well as relay F. Accordingly, a third contact arm 41 is mounted on the shaft 17 in the tower for movement into and out of engagement with a reverse contact 42. The arm 41 is connected with the line wire 30 by a wire 43, and the contact 42 is connected with the wire 25 by a wire 44. Also, in this arrangement, the wire 39 which connects the reverse contact 23 with the wire 25 in Fig. 1 is omitted.

In this modified system, when the towerman shifts the lever G to the reverse position, the contacts 18-19 and 212 are opened, and the contacts 1820 and 4142 are closed, thereby establishing a circuit from the battery 16, through wires 24. 25 and 44, contact 42 41. wire 43. line wire 30, contact 2-3 of lever D, wire 29, winding of polar relay F, wire 28, contact 8 of magnet E, wire 27, contact 18-20, and wires 40., and 34 back to battery 16. This causes the polar contact 11 to close and condition the system for operation similar to that described in connection with the system d sclosed in Fig. 1. I

It will be noted from the foregoing that in apparatus comprising my invention, the switch locking mechanism. comprising the lock lever D and the device L. is controlled over onlv two line wires from a tower or other station located at a distant point. and that an nd cating dev ce located at such distant point s controlled over the same two line wires bv the switch locking mechanism. Also. it will he noted that a li ht or other ind cation means is constantly on displav at the tower as long as the lock ng mechanism is functioning to maintain the sw tch in its normal position.

but that soon as this mechanism is operated to permit the switch to be moved to its reverse position the indication l1ght Wlll become 8X7 tinguished and will thereby immediately indicate this fact at the tower.

Although I have herein shown and described only two forms of apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope oi the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, a lock magnet for controlling the operation of railway traffic governing means, a circuit controller for controlling the operation of said l0Cl-Z magnet, a contact device operated by said loclr magnet for controlling the operation of said circuit controller, ano manually operable means for con trolling the operation of said circuit controller ointly with said contact device.

2. In combination, a lock magnet for controlling the operation of railway trafiic governing means, a relay for controlling the operation of said lock magnet, a contact device operated by said lock magn t -for controlling the operation of said relay, and manually operable means for controlling the operation of said relay jointly with said contact device.

3. In combination, a lock magnet for controlling the operation of railway trailic geyerning means, polar relay for controlling the operation of said. lock magnet, a contact device operated by said loci: magnet for controlling the operation of said polar relay, and

manually operable means for controlling the operation or" said polar relay jointly with said contact device.

l. In combination, a lock magnet for controlling the operation of railway traffic governing means, a polar relay for controlling the operation of said lock magnet, a contact device operated by said loclr magnet, a circuit including two line Wires and said contact device for controlling said polar relay, manually operable means located at a remote point for controlling said circuit, indication means located at remote point, and means controlled by said circuit for controlling said indication means.

5. In combination, a manually operable device, a second manually operable device, an electrical circuit, means controlled by said second device for supplying said circuit with current of normal or reverse polarity, means Icontrolled by said circuit for preventing verse pelarity, an indication means, and

controlled by said circuit for controlling said indication means when said circuit is supplied with current of normal polarity.

"6. In combination, a lock magnet for controlling the operation of railway traflie governing means, a polar relay for controlling the operation of said lock magnet, a contact device operated by said lock magnet, a circuit including said contact device and two line wires as well as an indication relay located at a remote point for controlling said polar relay, indication means located at said remote point controlled by said indication relay, and manually operable means located at said remote point for controlling said circuit.

7. In combination, a lock magnet for controlling the operation of railway trafiic governing means, a polar relay for controlling the operation of said lock magnet, indication means located at a remote point, a circuit including two lines wires for controlling said polar relay and. said indication means, and means located at said remote point for controlling said circuit.

8. In combination, a lock magnet for controlling the operation of railway trallic governing means, a contact device operated by said lock magnet, electromagnetic means responsive to electric currents of different characteristics for controlling the energization of said lock magnet, a manually operable contact device for controlling the operation of said lock magnet jointly with said electromagnetic means, means located at a remote point for indicating the condition of said electromagnetic means, a circuit including two line wires and said first mentioned contact device for controlling said electromagnetic means and said indication means, and means located at said remote point for changing the character of the current traversing said circuit to selectively vary the operation of said electromagnetic means.

9. In combination, a locl: magnet for controlling the peration of railway traffic governing means, a contact device operated by said lock magnet, a polar relay for controlling the energization of said lock magnet, a manually operable contact device for controlling the operation of said lock magnet jointly with said polar relay, means located at a remote point for indicating the condition of said polar relay, a circuit including two line wires and said first mentioned contact device for controlling said polar relay and said indication means, and means located at said remote point for reversing the polarity of the current traversing said circuit to selectively vary the operation of said polar relay.

10. In combination, a lock magnet for controlling the operation of railway trallic governing means, a contact device operated by said lock magnet, a polar relay for controlling the operation of said lock magnet, a manually operab e contact device for controlling the operation oi said lock magnet its jointly with said polar relay, means located 7 at a remote point for indicating the condition of said lock magnet, a circuit including two line wires and said first mentioned contact device for controlling said polar relay and said indication means, and means located at said remote point for controlling said circuit.

11. In combination, manually operable means for controlling the operation of railway trafiic governing means, a lock magnet for controlling the operation of said manu ally operable means, a contact device operated by said lock magnet, a second contact device operated by said manually operable means, a polar relay for controlling the operation of said lock magnet, a manually operated contact device for controlling the operation of said lock magnet jointly with said polar relay, means located at a remote point for indicating the condition of said manually operable means, a circuit including two line wires and said first and second mentioned contact devices for controlling said polar relay and said indication means, and means located at said remote point for controlling said circuit.

12. In combination, manually operable means for controlling the operation of railway trafiic governing means, a lock magnet for controlling the operation of said manually operable means, a contact device operated by said lock magnet, a second contact device operated by said manually operable means, a polar relay for controlling the operation of said lock magnet, a manually operated contact device for controlling the operation of said lock magnet jointly with said polar relay, means located at a remote point for indicating the condition of said manually operable means, acircuit includ ng two line wires and said first and second mentioned contact devices for controlling said polar relay and said indication means, and means located at said remote point for reversing the polarity of the electric current traversing said circuit.

13. In combination, a lever for controlling the operation of railway traffic goyerning means, a lock magnet for controlling the operation of said lever, a contact device operated by said lock magnet, GlQClJZ'OHliLQIlQiJlC means responsive to current of different characteristics for controlling the energization of said lock magnet, a manually operable contact device for control ing the operation of said lock magnet jointly with said electromagnetic means, means located at a remote point for indicating the condition of said lever, a circuit including two line wires and said first mentioned contact device for controlling said electromagnetic means and said indication means, and means located at said remote point for altering the character of the electric current in said circuit.

14. In combination, a lever for controlling the operation of ra lway traffic governing means, locking mechanism for controlling the operation of said lever, electromagnetic means responsive to electric currents of different characteristics for controlling the op eration of said locking mechanism, indication means located at a remote point for indicating the condition of said lever, an electric circuit for operating said indication means, a second electric circuit including two line wires for controlling said electromagnetic means and said first mentioned electric circuit, and means located at said remote point for controlling said second mentioned electric circuit.

15. In combination, a manually operable,

device, asecond manually operable device, an electrical circuit, means controlled by said second device for supplying said circuit with current of normal or reverse polarity, means controlled by said circuit for controlling said first device when said circuit is supplied with current of reverse polarity, an indication means, and means controlled by said first device for controlling said indication means when said circuit is supplied with current of normal polarity.

16. In combination, a manually operable lever for controlling a railway track switch, a lock magnet, means controlled by said lock magnet for preventing operation of said lever when said magnet is deenergized, a relay responsive to the polarity of current supplied to its winding, a contact controlled by said magnet, a circuit including said contact and the winding of said relay, a manually operable device, means controlled by said device for supplying said circuit with current of.

normal or reverse polarity, means controlled by said relay for energizing said magnet when said relay is supplied with current of reverse polarity, an indication means, and means controlled by said circuit for controlling said indication means.

17. In combination, a manually operable lever for controlling a railway track switch, a lock magnet, means controlled by said lock magnet for preventing operation of said lever when said magnet is deenergized, a relay responsive to the polarity of current supplied to its winding, a contact controlled by said lever, a circuit including said contact and the wind ing of said relay, a manually operable device, means controlled by said device for supplysaid circuit with current of normal or reverse polarity, means controlled by said relay for energizing said magnet when said relay is supplied with current of reverse polarity, an indication means, and mean controlled by said circuit for controlling said indication means.

18. In combination, a lock magnet for controlling the operation of a railway tratlic governing device, acontact which is open or closed according as said magnet is energized or deenergized, a polar relay characterized by the fact that when deenergized its polar armature remains in the position to which it was last moved, a circuit for said relay including said contact, a manually operable contact, a circuit for said magnet including said manually operable contact and a reverse polar contact of said relay, manually operable means located at a remote point for supplying current of normal or reverse polarity to said relay circuit, and an indication device at said remote point controlled by said relay circuit.

19. In combination, a manually operable lever having a normal and a reverse position, means controlled by said lever for preventing operation of a railway trafiic governing device when said lever is in its normal position and for permitting operation of said railway trafiic governing device when said lever is moved to its reverse position, a lock magnet, means controlled by said magnet for locking said lever in its normal position when said magnet is deenergized, a polar relay characterized by the fact that when deenergized its polar armature remains in the position to which it was last moved, a contact ,7 controlled by said lever and which is closed when said lever is in its normal position, a circuit for said relay including said contact, a circuit for said magnet including a reverse polar contact of said relay, manually operable means located at a remote point for supplying current of normal or reverse polarity to said relay circuit, and an indication device at said remote point controlled by said relay circuit.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

J AMES J. VANHORN.

DI SO L.. A! M E R 1,822,913.James J. Vanhorn, Pittsburgh, Pa. REMOTE CONTROL APPARATUS. Patent dated September 15, 1931. Disclaimer filed January 5, 1934, by the asslgnee, The Union Switch cQ Signal Company. X Hereby disclaims the subject matter of claim 7. [Ofiicial Gazette F ebruary 6, 1934.] 

